Slide assembly for drop leaf extension tables



J. COOPER 2,820,682

SLIDE ASSEMBLY FOR DROP LEAF EXTENSION TABLES Jan. 21, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 15, 1956 "Hum.

H'IIIIl LULUIH...

m m m m JOSEPH COOPER ATTORNEY J. COOPER Jan. 21, 1958 SLIDE ASSEMBLY FOR DROP LEAF EXTENSION TABLES 7' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 15, 1956 IIIIH INVENTOR.

XEPH COOPER Aw ATTORNEY United States Patent O SLIDE ASSEMBLY FOR DROP LEAF EXTENSION TABLES Joseph Cooper, New York, N. Y.

Application March 13, 1956, Serial No. 571,323

1 Claim. (Cl. 311-61) The present invention relates to an improved slide assembly construction for drop leaf extension tables, providing support for the leaf extension when in open position.

In tables having drop leaf extensions, the latter are usually supported on hinges in open position by slide members, slidable in housing members attached to the undersurface of the primary table top. However, difficulties have been encountered in maintaining the leaf extensions on a level with the primary table top without sagging. Several factors tend to produce sagging of the open leaf, among these being the normal play of the slide member in the housing, and the play in the hinges. In order to prevent sagging, it has often been the practice to provide a wedge under the leaf extension at the point of contact with the outer end of the slide.

The object of the present invention is to provide a slide assembly for drop leaf extension tables, employing a special construction of the housing member which operates as a self-leveling device, eliminating the aforementioned sagging, and obviating the necessity of employing a wedge on the underside of the drop leaf extension.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a drop leaf extension table utilizing the slide assembly of the invention, one leaf being shown in extended position, and one leaf being in dropped position,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the underside of the table of Fig. 1, only the uppermost portions of the table legs being shown.

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the table of Fig. 1, the legs not being shown,

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1, the drop leaf and legs not being shown,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the construction of the housing member at the inner end thereof,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the end construction of the slide member,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the slide assembly in side elevation, the housing member being broken away, and also showing the associated primary table top in cross section,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 of Fig. 3,

and

Fig. 9 is an end view of the construction of Fig. 7, taken on line 9-9 of the latter.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a drop leaf extension table 1, consisting of a primary table top 2, and a drop leaf extension 3 supported at each side of table top 2 on hinges 4. Suitable legs 5 support the table.

Attached to the underside of table top 2, are two housing members 6 of U-shaped cross-section. The housing members 6 are positioned along the center line of table top 2, each extending perpendicularly inwardly from one of the opposed table top edges adjacent the drof leaf extensions 3. The housing members are offset a short dis- 2,820,682 Patented Jan. 21, 1958 'ice tance one from the other, so as to allow room for the slide members, to be described hereinafter, when in closed position. The side walls of the housing members terminate in integral flanges 7, through which pass screws 8 for attachment to the table undersurface.

Housing member 6 is provided at its inner end with a plate member 9, Fig. 5, said plate member being welded to the outer surfaces of the flanges 7, and bridging the space therebetween, as a cross-piece.

Slidable within housing member 6 is a slide member 10 having a channel cross-section. Slide member 10 is approximately twice the length of the housing member, and is of a width equal to the depth of the housing member. As most clearly seen in Fig. 2, the member 10 slides on its side, and has an open position for supporting the drop leaf extension 3 on a level with the primary table top 2, and a closed position allowing the dropping of the extension.

Slide member 10 is provided at each end with an outwardly extending flange 11. This flange serves as a finger grip in the operation of the slide member, and also as a stop, preventing the removal of the slide member from the housing.

As may be seen, when the housing member 6 is attached to the undersurface of the table, the said housing member is slightly inclined with respect to the table surface, being spaced at its inner end from the latter by the plate member 9. As a consequence of the inclined position of the housing member, the slide member 10, as it is drawn into open position, will have a slight upward movement. When the drop leaf has been fully opened, the slide 10 will tightly contact the undersurface of the leaf, and will firmly support the latter on a level with the primary table top.

Although member 9 is preferably in the form of a plate of fairly narrow width as shown in the drawings, a crosspiece in other forms may be employed. For example, an even narrower strip would be workable, as would a wider plate. In addition, the housing itself might be of modified form. For example, the particular construction of flanges 7 might be changed. Likewise, the shape of the slide member might be modified.

Having fully described my invention, what I now claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

A slide assembly for a table having at least one dropleaf extension hinged to the table top, which comprises a metal U-shaped housing member having laterally extended flanges formed with apertures for the passage of screws into the table top, said housing member having a front end and a back end, a plate permanently secured to the flanges of the housing member at the back end thereof and lying over the said flanges for direct contact with a table top substantially inwardly of the latter, whereby attachment of the housing to the table top permanently holds the housing inclined upwardly toward the front thereof, and a slide member slidable in said housing and adapted to be extended therefrom for support of a table drop-leaf, said plate bridging the flanges of the housing, and said slide member being U-shaped in cross section and being provided with an out-turned integral extension serving as a fingerpiece for operation thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,651,825 Luppert Dec. 6, 1927 2,210,220 Soisson Aug. 6, 1940 2,560,821 Rieman et a1 July 17, 1951 2,668,744 Cockrell Feb. 9, 1954 2,731,317 Duncan Jan. 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 351,125 Great Britain June 25, 1931 

